Mental retardation has probably existed for as long as mankind has inhabited the earth. References to seemingly retarded persons appear in Greek and Roman literature. Examination of Egyptian mummies suggests that some may have suffered from diseases associated with mental retardation. Mohammed advocated feeding and housing those without reason. There is other evidence for favorable attitudes toward the retarded in early history, but attitudes var ied from age to age and from country to country. The concept of remediation did not emerge until the nineteenth century. Earlier, in 1798, ltard published an account of his attempt to train the "wild boy of Aveyron." A rash of efforts to habilitate retarded persons followed. Training schools were developed in Europe and the United States in the 1800s; however, these early schools did not fulfill their promise, and by the end of the nineteenth century large, inhumane warehouses for retarded persons existed. The notion of habilitation through training had largely been abandoned and was not to reappear until after World War II.

First multi-year cumulation covers six years: 1965-70.

This is a basic text on the education of exceptional children, covering fundamentals of special education and integrated education for various categories of exceptional children: the mentally retarded, the hearing handicapped, the visually handicapped, the learning disabled, the slow learner, the emotionally disturbed, the speech and language handicapped, the physically handicapped, the gifted, and the socially disadvantaged. It also covers the genesis of the special education movement in our country, policies and programmes, critical issues and innovations, the rights of the disabled, manpower development, avenues and research perspectives in education of exceptional children.